HIP-HOP LIVES, a monumental collaboration between two true giants from the old school, KRS-One and Marley Marl, has been a long time coming. Some 20 years after the BDP/Juice Crew beef and just when many had counted both artists out for good, HIP-HOP LIVES sees both the Blastmaster and DJ Legend rejuvenated, banging out 14 tracks of hip-hop purity. As one might expect, Kris revisits the past, narrating the story of his career on "Rising to the Top" ("New York City was crazy in the '80s/but damn, it was live!") and shouting out fellow rap veterans on "Over 30," all the while trying to frame the genre as eternal on "I Come Back" and "All Skool." Still, the record's most powerful material finds him turning topical--as he comments on the still-unsolved murders of various hip-hoppers in "Kill a Rapper." Marley Marl's thorough beatwork provides the ideal backdrop for Kris's aggressive wordplay. DJ Premier, Magic Juan, Blaq Poet, and Chief Rocker Busy Beee make cameos.